Progress report on Christmas 2015

[chanie44]

How are you doing?
Are you ahead or behind on your preparations?
How does this compare to previous years?

Wow
came on here to search for the Christmas section...imagine my delight to see it in active conversation!!!

Although now I feel less smug about my lists and all my screenshots in my phone when I see people are almost finished

Anyway this is DDs 2nd Christmas but as she was only 3weeks old last year I'm way more excited & possibly going a little lot overboard on pressie ideas for her!

Does anyone have a rough idea when the 3for2 toy event starts in Argos?

I've written a list of people to buy for and some ideas of what they might like and that's it! No shopping until much nearer the time

I've started lists of gifts. This week's tasks are to buy Christmas pyjamas for the toddler, and possibly forthcoming twin babies, and a couple of stocking fillers for DH. I'd also like to get DHs presents from children sorted soon. We've agreed on the family venue for Christmas. And of course Ive started my own wish list to give to DH....

What I'd like to do is start my Christmas cards. Anybody know when the shops are likely to get them in? I usually buy and write two days before the post deadline.

DH and I went to Costco today (they have Christmas stock in when the DC go back to school)

I saw snowflake patterned fleecey PJ bottoms (didn't buy them though)

Cards will be in charity shops end of sept. love writing and receiving cards.

My £2 jar is doing well though

Ive got one birthday present to buy for my nephew who will be 3 in a few weeks then its full steam ahead with christmas!!
We are only buying for our parents and then children under 18 this year, and already arranged xmas dinner at mils so saved a fortune there!

I ended up printing off the Household Holiday Plan, as I couldn't find my usual Holiday Grand Plan - both are 16 week plans starting the week school goes back, to clean a room a week and get all the prep work done my 2 weeks before Christmas. (Flylady has another version - which involves imagining you are getting on a cruise ship on 1st December to 24th, so all has to be done by 1st). Then I found the HGP earlier this week - so I printed that as well. Having looked at the HHP closely, it is a bit too different to what suits our family and the HGP works better, so I am going to pull in a few new bits I hadn't done before from the HHP but revert to my original one.

This morning, in the quiet before the rest of the office come in, I am writing up my own bits on the lists.

No other big progress. Working on prepping for family summer hols, although I have warned DH that I will be doing a Christmas values and planning session while we're away - when we are all relaxed and can think about what we really WANT, before everyone else gets in with what they EXPECT, us to do.

This thread made me start!! Iv just taken advantage of the fact it's July to order 4 gorgeous statement necklaces and 4 scarves to put along with them from an eBay shop from China! Best of all it cost just over £10

Apparently the local card factory has Christmas cards out already & the Clinton cards has last year's Christmas teddy bears reduced in the sale which made me smile walking past them today

I'm officially in christmas countdown mode! Can't wait for the "summer" to go away and welcome in the dark cosy evenings with cinnamon Yankee candles burning!

I was unreasonably organised Go Me and bought some Yankee Candles from QVC.
Not only have I got the AutoDelivery which gives me nice summer candles in a few days, nice springy candles in March but lovely Christmas Candles in November but............

they come in a stripey canvas basket type thingie.

Blue /white
Red/White for christmas
Green/white for Spring.

So I'll have the blue/white and red/white before Christmas to put the DC Christmas eve Hamper bits in.

DH was but I'm sure deep down he admires my organisation (even in July )

Waiting for QVC Christmas in July now.

Only started in the last week but actually feeling quite chuffed with the amount I've got done:
Dd - 3x MLP £6.98 for all 3 instead of nearly £24
2x 3ds games (Pet Beach and Proffessor Layton) Bargainous PL @ £4.98
Illustrated Harry Potter book and Diary of a Wimpy Kid book 10, gift edition Alice in Wonderland 150 years all pre ordered from Amazon.
Playmobil advent calendar
Lego Parrot 3 in 1 set
Secret Garden colouring book.
Twilight Sparkle Equestria girl and Pony £9.87 instead of £24.99
Nephews 2 x Playmobil 123 different Christmas sets also bargains thanks to other thread.
Mum - Radley Handbag £89 from £219 in John Lewis
Sons Girlfriend - Crew Handbag £24 from £55.

Difficult ones are the men DH, son, dad etc but still feeling smug for July

Yesterday we arranged where we'd be for Christmas and for the first time ever we're going to be at home.

I'm sooo excited

Last year we were all over the shop and it wasn't much fun and DD didn't get much chance to play with her presents.

So I've now started shopping lists

My parents are coming to visit in the evening and I don't know about DP'S family yet

I was buying a naice bottle of port for my Dad today (a thank you for letting us stay in their holiday house next week) - and picked up a bottle of sauternes for with the Christmas pudding. I only ever seem to drink it with Christmas pud.

I will be back to that off licence when we are back from hols, to get a couple of nice bottles of white wine (for turkey). And perhaps a naice bottle of bubbles for earlier in the day (although the Jacobs Creek Pinot thingy sparkling is quite nice for that day). All 4 nice bottles will then go down to the storage unit until Christmas week. I did this last year and found that I really didn't feel guilty about buying 2 nice bottles of wine for turkey when I bought them early.

And then I will concentrate on gathering a reasonable collection of "party wine" (nicely drinkable but mostly mainstream and certainly reasonably cheap) as the offers happen over the autumn, some will be quaffed over the autumn but some will also go to the storage unit for Christmas consumption when we are hosting people, and a few slightly higher spec bottles for hostess gifts when we are being hosted. I might actually get a nice bottle of port as well for us this year - lovely with a bit of stilton!!

Dammit, people! Stop being so organised, it's making me edgy!

I'm usually well under way by this time but I have a lot less bought this year.

I have some money saved (usually don't as just buy the actual stuff) but it's not enough sort me to feel relaxed.

I usually start early buying presents and planning (around August) however I'm going to go against the grain and buy everything in late November/early december!

My son is 13 now and is presents are usually fewer (he wants a gaming pc this year) and I've really cut down the cost I spend on family and who I buy for.

I find I get over excited about christmas too early and then by the time it comes I'm done.

I'm now organised..food is coming from M&S and we're only doing presents for dsd. It'll be a very different Christmas this year, can't say I'm looking forward to it anymore given that bil is now coming so between him dh and dsd it won't be a merry Christmas because they all hate it!!

Aw Lazy I hope they get into the spirit of it this year - keep the wine flowing for yourself

Have you ordered your M&S food already?

I'm told around Oct 10th you can order the Christmas food. I shall be very merry on wine!

Raided the mothercare sale and got some bits for my niece, a craft set down from 20 to 7.50 and an elsa fancy dress from 18 to 5! So thats one down 7 to go!

My spreadsheet tells me the RRP of everything i've bought so far is £450 and ive actually spent £130 _

I've preordered Lego Dimensions and Disney Infinity 3.0 for DS (his birthday is the week before Christmas, so two to sort). That's as organised as I've been so far!

Saying that, DH has told me that I have to get a grip as I'm one of those people that shops early then keeps twitching and ends up spending twice what I should. I'm on a strict budget this year as we have a big holiday booked next summer, so need to save.

I've bought my niece a push along car thing because it was on offer at Sainsburys. It is DD's birthday and dh's 5 days later so I will be starting properly in August.

I was 8 months preg with dc 3 this time last year and was so organised for xmas ..... this year I cant even get my head around what is happening next week :(

I love writing lists and planning , have dc1 starting school, all 3 dc birthdays, parents and dh within the next 3 months and I love being prepared early for xmas so I need to make a small start.

I bought a deal for 200 photo prints to start albums for xmas, and looking on ebay for nice crafty handmade gifts for family.

This thread is making me excited :)

I ordered my christmas candles and reeds from wax lyrical today, have filled a gift card with 150 pounds.
I bought a christmas organiser book last year and have written quite a lot of ideas for gifts etc and kept a list of what not to buy this year (mainly food that wasn't as good as i thought it would be)
Savings are in a separate account for xmas.